The Trial of McKeen
by randomtvfan
Summary: McKeen escapes from prison, and Nick goes after him. Will he end up like Warrick? Please read and review.
1. Chapter 1

The Trial of McKeen

This is my first fan fiction story, so please be nice

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CHAPTER ONE

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The Las Vegas Police Department Forensics Division sat in the Conference Room, waiting for Catherine to give them their assignments. All except Nick looked forward to this, although his new bed was to blame for his tiredness.

"Did you get a good rest last night?" asked Riley.

"No" replied Nick. "Stupid bed..."

Catherine entered the room and everyone sat up.

"OK, guys, here are your assignments" she said. "Nick, Riley, there's been a prison escape at Las Vegas State Prison, two guards and one inmate killed, I need you down there."

"Sure thing, Cath" said Nick.

"Did you sleep well last night?" Catherine repeated Riley's question.

Nick gave her a sarcastic smile and walked out of the room with Riley. Catherine finished giving out the assignments.

"Greg, Ray, there's been a shootout in West Las Vegas. Two dead...and I've got a stolen car in Winchester..."

The last of the CSIs headed off to their respective crime scenes.

XXX

When Nick and Riley arrived at Las Vegas State Prison, they were amazed at the destruction caused. The thick concrete wall that should have towered over them lay in a crumbled pile. It gave them a further view of the mesh fence cage the prisoners were restricted to at Exercise Time. That too had been ripped off its supports and felled to the ground.

"What could have done this?" said Riley. "It looks like a tank or one of those army helicopters..."

The signs of an explosion were clearly visible, as soot covered the walls and ground among flaming bits of rubble.

A correctional officer ran over to them. He had a bruise on his head and is uniform was covered in rips and tears.

"We're from the LVPD Forensics Division" said Nick. "What happened?"

"We're not too sure" the guard explained. "We were taking the prisoners back inside when it happened. This loud bang and then the walls just...fell on us."

"Do you want to see a medic?" asked Riley.

"I've seen one" said the guard, continuing. "The coroner is in the yard with the bodies. It's pretty bad. The wall fell on top of them."

Nick and Riley went into the yard. Super Dave watched the paramedics take one of the bodies away.

"Super Dave, what's going on?" asked Nick.

"The inmate and one of the guards were badly crushed by the rubble. They're completely unidentifiable. The other guard is here." He led them behind the pile. The officer had several burns across his hands and was covered in blood.

"The burns suggest he was near the cause of the explosion when it went off" said Riley, taking a sample. "Perhaps he even set it off..."

"You think he was a crook?" asked Nick. "If he did set it off, there wouldn't be anything here."

"How do you blow up a prison wall and kill three people just for one prisoner to escape?" Dave asked.

"I don't know" said Riley. Out of nowhere, Brass appeared. They hadn't seen him around.

"Brass, where did you come from?" asked a surprised Nick.

"Nick, Riley, I've spoken to the Warden. All the prisoners except one have been accounted for..."

"Which one isn't?" asked Nick. "Is it the dead one?"

"No" said Brass. He looked nervous, almost hesitant to say it.

"Who was it?" asked Nick again.

Brass spoke. "Jeffrey McKeen."

XXX

"Today, a prisoner who escaped from Las Vegas State Prison by orchestrating an explosion killing three people has been identified as Jeffrey McKeen, the disgraced former Deputy Chief of Police of Las Vegas. McKeen, arrested for shooting Warrick Brown, a police CSI, was to go to trial this month. A manhunt commissioned by the Governor of Nevada has begun. People will notice most highways, airports and harbours have heavy security and will probably be closed until further notice."

In a motel in Alamo, Nevada, Jeffrey McKeen smiled as he watched the news report. Those dumb guards didn't see it coming. Lou Gedda may be dead, but his friends sure aren't. Soon, he'd find Nick Stokes, the one who made him suffer for the last two months in a dark jail cell and do to him what he did to Warrick: One in the neck and one in the chest.

XXX

Back at the lab, Catherine had finished her stolen car case. A car thief taking it to be sold for parts cut his hand on the broken window, and they soon found him at Las Vegas General Hospital receiving several stitches.

The doors to the lab swung open and Nick, a vengeful look upon his face stormed into Catherine's office, followed by Riley and Brass who were trying to calm him down.

"Nick, listen, McKeen is going nowhere!" Brass said. "He's not leaving Clark County, let alone the state of Nevada..."

"Nick, are you OK?" asked Catherine.

"McKeen..." gasped Nick, trying to calm himself. "McKeen...escaped! He's out there!"

"What...?" Catherine was trying to grasp the situation herself.

"Nick..." Brass repeated.

"Jim, tell me what happened."

"There was an explosion at the prison. When I arrived, the warden gave me a list of all the prisoners they had. All had been counted except for McKeen. We think he planned the escape with Gedda's people. It's the only way."

"Who's on this?" asked Catherine.

"Every police officer and prison guard in the state" said Brass. "McKeen is like Public Enemy No 1 now."

"Nicky, we'll find McKeen. Riley, you go to the lab. I'm taking everyone off what they're doing and putting them on this."

The door opened. Ecklie added himself to this small group.

"I know tensions are running high" he said. "We know what Jeffrey McKeen has done, and as Deputy Chief, I'm taking Night Shift off the case."

"What?" Nick yelled.

"Sorry guys, but you were the ones who caught McKeen, so I insist you take a break from this. I've spoken to the Day Shift and they're happy to do it..."

"I'm going to Berwick" said Nick. "You can't do this! I found McKeen, and I'm finding him again."

Before Ecklie could protest, Nick stormed out of the office.

Catherine knew Ecklie had a point. Nick was about to kill McKeen in that forest. She knew if Nick got his hands on McKeen again, he'd do it this time.

"Fine. Give it to Day Shift, but any evidence they find goes to us, OK?"

"OK" said Ecklie. He left.

Riley sighed, as did Catherine. Jeffrey McKeen had power when he was a cop, and he still had it now if he was able to pull off such a brutal prison break. To do Warrick's memory proud, their job was to find McKeen and stop him for good.

XXX

Hope you liked it. A couple of notes

X I know the rank of deputy chief is Undersheriff in Vegas, but to me, it's the same thing since the sheriff of Clark County is also the chief of the Las Vegas Metro Police

X Throughout the series, the CSIs do not refer to themselves as police officers (unlike Miami and New York), yet they carry guns, help other officers with arresting or searching for suspects and are sometimes called officers when talked about over the radio, If they say 'Police' instead of Crime Lab, don't take offence. It's one of the things on the show I never understand

I do not own CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. It is owned by CBS


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks for reading

XXX

Riley and Hodges stood in the lab, looking for anything that could trace to the explosives. It wasn't long before the computer picked something up on the sample Riley took from the dead guard's skin.

"Semtex" said Hodges. "It's used to demolish buildings. You'd need to be pretty clever to get this into a prison."

"Maybe they didn't have to be clever" said Riley. "Maybe they dressed up as cops or guards. It isn't hard to find uniforms. I'll go to Brass and ask him if any Semtex has been reported stolen."

She walked down the corridor to Brass's office. Passing the Male locker room, she saw Nick through the slightly open door. He sat with his head in his hands, like a weight had been dropped on him from a great height.

Although it was for men only, Riley decided to join him on the bench. If anyone asked, she needed advice from Nick and couldn't wait.

"Nick...Nick? Are you OK?"

Nick raised his head.

"Riley, what are you...?" he said, more amazed than sadly.

"I understand you and Warrick Brown were close." Riley spoke. "I lost my friend before I was transferred from Saint Louis. She was giving a child back to his family and someone shot her in the head. I kept asking 'Who'd do that to an innocent woman?"

"Warrick was like a brother to me." Nick explained to Riley. "He came looking for me when I was in trouble, and when it was my turn...I couldn't do a thing. We all trusted McKeen, and he killed him."

Riley put her arm around Nick. He had been hit hard by Warrick's death. Now McKeen was on the run, and all the justice they'd done for Warrick had unravelled. He thought he could get away with everything.

"I don't want this...I don't want to be on this case" said Nick. "I'm gonna tell Ecklie to keep it, because I just can't do it..."

"Nicky, we will find McKeen, and I'll make sure myself you get a front row seat when they put him on that table for the injection..." Riley's determination seemed to make Nick even sadder. He didn't care. McKeen would always get away with it. He abused his power when he was a cop and now he was on the streets of Nevada, probably still acting like he owns the place.

He rose from the bench and walked away. Riley was about to call him back, but she stopped when another officer entered.

"Sorry, I just..." Riley put her hands up and smiled, walking past the officer and into the corridor.

XXX

The Tee Pee Motel in Alamo, Nevada was a comfy place for people to spend the night on those long distance trips. For Jeffrey McKeen, it'd be his new home until Martin Keene, Lou Gedda's friend from the Gedda Crime Family and the owner of the Tee Pee Motel, came to take him to a new hideout. Soon, he'd be back in Vegas, ready to get back at the Night Shift and show them who still runs the place. 200percent was the rise in crime in Las Vegas, Sara once complained. She didn't know McKeen and Gedda were responsible for about half.

Murders, extortion, robberies, McKeen was the one who allowed Gedda to build his criminal empire without being caught. For that, he had a ton of money, lost when Nick Stokes and Jim Brass arrested him.

Now Gedda was dead, and McKeen had every cop in Nevada on his tail. The state lines had been guarded by the highway patrol; there were customs officers at all harbours and airport. Nevada was under virtual martial law. No-one was getting in or out.

The door to the motel room swung open and Keene entered with a suitcase.

"You took your time" McKeen said.

"Well, it's not every day I help an ex-cop escape from prison" replied Keene. He opened the case and inside was some new clothes and a 9mm handgun.

"Thanks for this" said McKeen. "If you ever need an extra hand at the motel..."

"There's a flight out of McCarran International Airport to San Jose, Costa Rica. Take it and never come back..." He gave McKeen the handgun. "If any cops pull you over..."

"I don't plan on any cops pulling me over" said McKeen, unravelling a shirt. An object fell out of it. On closer inspection, it was an LVPD Detective badge.

"Didn't see that" said Keene.

"Gedda always had backup plans. Of course, once Prichard blew his head off, I thought I'd take them..."

"You're a slick man, Mr McKeen" laughed Keene. "I'm going to be out of here now."

"Well, I'm getting out of here" said McKeen. "You're not..."

Before Keene could understand what McKeen meant, a bullet ripped through his chest and landed with a barely recognisable clatter on the ground, followed by the heavier thud of Keene's body.

Having gotten rid of the witnesses, McKeen put on the badge and got in Keene's car. He was certainly getting away by now.

XXX

"The construction company say they had two boxes of Semtex stolen from the building site in Winchester." Brass relayed the information to Riley and Greg.

"So, it could be anywhere by now" said Greg. "McKeen could use it for anything. He's all alone, desperate, in need of money and transport..."

The phone rang again. Brass answered.

"LVPD Detective Division...yes, I see....really...well thank you for calling. Send everything you get to our lab, will you? Thanks."

"Who was that?" asked Riley.

"The Sheriff of Lincoln County" said Brass. "Michael Keene, an associate of Lou Gedda, has been shot dead outside his motel. They dusted a room for fingerprints and found McKeen's, along with a prison jumpsuit."

"Great. He has money, transport..." Greg began taking back his earlier list of things McKeen would need.

"How's Nick?" asked Brass.

"Really bad, he thinks McKeen has really gotten away with it, sir" Riley explained. "He and Warrick were close."

"Sure thing" said Brass. "I was too. Not all the time, but close enough to be a helping hand..."

"So, are Lincoln County sending everything to us?" asked Greg.

"No, but they're giving us the information they receive" said Brass. "Right now, I think Catherine needs you all to be strong..."

Greg nodded in agreement before he and Riley left and headed back to the conference room. More cases needed to be solved.

"Where's Nick?" she asked.

"I think he went home, Cath" answered Riley.

Catherine sighed. Nick really was taking it bad.

"I'll cover for him. Right now, Greg, Ray, I need you on the Las Vegas Strip. There's been a shooting. Riley, you can help me. There's been another stolen car found near Nellis Air Force Base."

"Right" said Riley. She and the men got up and went to their respective cases.

XXX

Nick sat on his uncomfortable bed, looking at a picture of him and Warrick at a police training course. Sure Warrick had his faults, like gambling and drinking, but it didn't warrant being shot by another officer. It didn't warrant any such fate.

He knew where he needed to be: with Warrick himself.

XXX

At Boulder Junction Community Church, Nick walked up to the grave marked 'Warrick Brown'. It sat undisturbed, a few flowers brought by the CSIs and other LVPD officers.

"Hey, buddy, it's me, Nicky. Grissom and Sara ran away...but I suppose you can see that from there, can't you?"

He stared skyward. If Warrick was watching him, he was surely thinking of a witty reply to get him back at with.

"We still miss you, you know. No-one's forgotten about you. We've got some new guys at the lab. One of them is Ray. You'd like him. And Riley; she's a very nice person..."

Nick couldn't stop the tears from falling anymore. "I miss you so much, man..."

For a moment, it was quiet. The only sound was a blue sedan pulling into the church car park.

"Cath is probably wondering where I am...I'd better get back...I'll see you later, Warrick..."

Nick got up and walked down the path towards the church. A lone priest was sweeping the path clean of leaves and other rubbish.

"Good morning, Officer."

"Morning, Father" said Nick.

Suddenly, a shot rang out and the priest doubled over. Nick drew his weapon.

"Police officer! Show yourself!"

From behind a tree, Nick could see a middle aged man, taking aim behind a gravestone. He walked over to help the priest.

"Are you OK, Father?"

"Yes, officer, I'm OK..."

Nick looked at the injury. It had only grazed the man's chest. The danger wasn't over, though.

The middle aged shooter ran for cover behind another gravestone. Nick turned to aim his weapon at him. By this time, the shooter had gained cover again behind another oak tree. Then he darted into the caretaker's shed.

"Father, I need you to go into the church" said Nick. "Can you do that?"

The priest nodded and ran inside. Nick rose from behind the tree and followed the man inside the shed. The man stood facing the window, as if expecting to be arrested right there and then.

"Las Vegas police!" yelled Nick. "Turn around!"

The man turned around...

XXX


	3. Chapter 3

Hope you liked the last chapter

XXX

"All units, Code Red: Officer down at Boulder Junction Community Church, I repeat, officer down at Boulder Junction Community Church. All available units please respond..."

Catherine and Riley decided to hand the stolen car over to the military police to avoid any jurisdictional conflict. This thief was careful enough not to leave any prints or cut himself. That's when the call came through.

"Should we leave it?" said Riley. "I mean...we are CSIs..."

"And we can be cops if we need to" said Catherine. "Let's go."

XXX

A swarm of undercover and marked police cars converged in the car park of the church. The priest, hearing a shot from the shed, called 911 and told them a police officer was already on the scene.

"Father McGrath, are you OK?" asked Catherine. She'd known Father McGrath when she came to Vegas, and had gone to him sometimes for guidance after the death of her family.

"I'm OK, Catherine." The priest pointed to the churchyard. "Your officer, he followed the shooter into the shed."

"Do you know which officer?" Catherine had a bad feeling.

"Tall, black hair, sounded like he came from Texas..."

"Nicky...oh, my God!" gasped Catherine.

Greg and Ray arrived as well.

"Catherine, what's going on?" Ray asked.

"Nick's been shot!" said Catherine. "I'm going in there..."

She ran into the graveyard, ignoring Brass's protests.

"Catherine, come back! The shooter might still be there..."

XXX

"Nicky! Nicky, are you OK?"

Catherine's words went unanswered. She saw the caretaker's shed and drew her gun. The door was slightly open.

"Police officer; come out now!" she yelled, her voice breaking.

Without a thought for her own safety, she pulled it open and pointed her weapon inside.

The sight forced her to swing her head away. Brass and a few other officers ran up to her, their weapons also drawn.

"Catherine, what happened?" Brass asked.

"Nicky...Nicky..."

Brass ran towards the shed.

"Someone get an ambulance!" His words echoed across the yard.

XXX

The man turned around...

"My God" gasped Nick.

"Hello, Nicolas."

"McKeen..."

"You thought I wasn't getting out, well you thought wrong. Gedda always had a plan for a quick escape."

Nick was in total shock. His gun hung loosely from his hand. He couldn't believe it. Jeffrey McKeen, the man who shot his best friend, was not standing in a prison yard, wearing an orange jumpsuit, but in front of him, in a churchyard, wearing a suit and a police badge on his belt.

"Son of a..."

"Like I said" McKeen continued. "Warrick had a big mouth. And you have one too. If I run away, you'll just call it in."

Nick suddenly regained himself.

"You're going nowhere" he gasped. "I'm arresting you, for four counts of murder, assaulting a police officer and illegal flight from custody..."

"You can't arrest me!" McKeen said. "You're a CSI, not a cop!"

"I am a cop, and a bigger one than you'll ever be!" yelled Nick.

"Do it then" said McKeen. "Shoot me. There's no Brass, no other cops to stop you. Go on; put one right here, right in the head!"

Nick remained calm. He seemed to be void of any emotion, unlike the earlier confrontation in the forests. McKeen was trying to play with him, but he wasn't falling for it this time.

"Turn around, McKeen."

McKeen stood still. He smiled, happy at the pain he was causing.

"I said turn around, you piece of crap!"

McKeen reached into his waistband and pulled out his gun. Nick didn't do anything; his gun remained pointed at McKeen's head.

"Put it away" said Nick. "Put it away!"

"What does Warrick want you to do?" asked McKeen.

The mention of Warrick's name struck a chord in Nick. He knew what Warrick wanted, but the fact McKeen was using him to play with his emotions was more overbearing.

"I'll tell you what he wants me to do" said Nick.

McKeen smiled, even more indulged in Nick's grief.

"He wants me to put these handcuffs on you and send you back to the state prison, and then he wants you to be strapped onto a table, and the guards stick a big needle in your arm, in front of me, Catherine, Greg, and Brass, everyone..., and they're happy, happy you're dead!"

"Wrong answer" said McKeen.

He raised the gun.

"Damn you!" screamed Nick.

They fired at the same time. McKeen's bullet struck Nick in the head, and his own struck McKeen in the heart, dropping him completely.

Everything went silent. No passing cars, no rustling leaves, nothing.

Just silence.

XXX

Sorry if it didn't pan out the way some of you wanted it.

A couple of notices

X Yes, they refer to themselves as cops, but Chapter One explains my reasons why

X Since the car was found outside an air base, it should have gone to the military police directly, but it's still within the Las Vegas area


	4. Chapter 4

This is the final chapter. Sorry if the story was short, but I've got a lot on my mind

XXX

Miles away, in the suburbs of San Jose, Costa Rica, Gil Grissom exited the bathroom after his morning shower and walked into the kitchen, where Sara Sidle, his fiancé, was on the computer.

"Here's an email" said Sara. "It's from Catherine."

She clicked it open.

"Dear Gil and Sara,

It's been a while, and we all miss you. I hope you're having a good time, wherever you are.

What a week I've had! McKeen escaped from prison a few days ago. He went after Nick and shot him, but Nick shot him as well. Luckily, it didn't penetrate his brain, but he'll be in hospital for a few weeks. He might still lose his hearing, but we're all praying he won't and will recover completely.

It's over. McKeen is dead and Warrick can finally rest in peace. The others are OK. I'll email you later when Nick is out of hospital. Sorry I can't give you any more info.

Love you both, Cath"

"Nick's in hospital" gasped Grissom. "We should go and see him..."

"We've got enough money for a few days to Las Vegas..." Sara thought. "He needs all his friends by his side."

XXX

Nick lay asleep in his bed at Desert Palms General Hospital. By a stroke of luck, McKeen grazed Nick in the side of his head, and it embedded behind his ear. Nick's round took McKeen out completely. The doctors did warn the others that he might lose hearing in that ear, but it could gradually come back to him.

For what felt like an eternity, he found himself drifting in and out of a blinding light. Was he really going to heaven?

"Nicky...Nicky...wake up, kid..."

Nick opened his eyes. He sat on a bench in the park. It was a cold day. There was no other noise. No children, no traffic, no leaves rustling and wind blowing. Just eerie silence...

Until he turned to his left and almost jumped out of his seat when he saw Warrick sitting next to him.

Warrick smiled. "Don't be scared, Nicky. You're OK."

For a moment, Nick couldn't speak. If he wasn't dead, why was Warrick sitting next to him?

Then he finally spoke.

"Warrick...where am I?"

"Winchester Park" said Warrick. "Where our very first case together was? Don't you remember?"

"Yeah" Nick replied, still trying to gather himself. "A stolen bike..."

Warrick laughed lightly. "Stolen bike..."

"I found it here, next to this bench." Nick recalled. "Someone put a note saying sorry on it. Guy handed himself in not long after."

He too laughed at the seeming absurdity of the crime.

"Nicky, I came down here to tell you something" explained Warrick.

"What, Warrick?" Nick asked.

"I need you to wake up."

"I am awake" said Nick. "See?"

"For Catherine, Greg, Gris, Sara...all your friends" said Warrick. "They're worried about you."

"But how do I get back?"

"I'll take you there" said Warrick. "First, I want you to close your eyes."

Nick did so.

"Now open them..."

XXX

The whole Night Shift, including Grissom and Sara sat in the waiting room. The couple had just arrived the day before, after a tropical storm almost cancelled their flight.

A nurse came into the room. "He's awake."

Catherine got up, followed by the others.

The nurse explained his condition, and then went on her way, leaving them to help their friend.

One by one, they entered the room.

XXX

"Warrick...Warrick?"

"Nicky?" Catherine said. "Oh, God..."

She hugged him tightly.

"Not too tight, Catherine" smiled Nick. "Where's Warrick?"

"What do you mean?"

"I saw Warrick while I was sleeping. We were at the park in Winchester, when we first worked together as CSIs..."

"How are you, Nicky?" Grissom spoke up.

"Gris...when did you get here?" Things were moving a little too fast for Nick, but his friends being around him calmed him down.

"Yesterday with Sara. We've been in Costa Rica. Great fun out there. Lots of bugs, and plants..."

Nick laughed.

That's when Catherine remembered. "Can you hear us good?"

"If I can hear Grissom going on about his bugs, I sure can hear everything else..."

Catherine smiled. Nick was back. And with Warrick's help, she could only guess.

Nick looked at the group. Someone caught his eye.

"Warrick..." he gasped, in almost a whisper that Catherine could barely make out.

"Where?" she asked.

In Nick's mind, Warrick stood at the very back, his thumb pointing upwards. That smile he always had was on his face as usual. Then he was gone.

"Nothing...just me" said Nick.

"Is it just me or..." Grissom spoke before Doc cut him off.

"Does anyone feel hungry?"

"A bit" Nick replied.

"Well, since I'm not the patient, I won't be eating that hospital food..."

Nick smiled in agreement, followed by Catherine and Gil.

They were all smiling. The CSI Day Shift was once again back together, like they should be.

"Me and Doc are going to get some coffee" said Cath. "Anyone want anything?"

"Why don't we all go to the cafeteria?" asked Greg. "Nick needs a long rest, not us keeping him up."

Nick nodded as the small group left behind Greg.

Once the room was empty, Nick picked up the remote and switched on the TV.

"The Dallas Cowboys beat the New York Giants in the Major League Football Semi Finals, and they'll meet the Oakland Raiders in the final. But first, the adverts. See you after the break."

Nick rolled his eyes as the same old boring adverts rolled out on the screen.

'At least everything's back to normal' he thought with a smile.

XXX

The End

XXX

How was it? A few notices below:

X Doc Robbins had that small bit of text because he hadn't spoken for a while. Sorry if it was a bit random.

X The little TV bit at the end is just some fun, since Nick comes from Dallas.

X Once again, I hope you enjoyed this story.


End file.
